Under Suspicion
by TC1097
Summary: Double Shot Of Fluff. Complete. Summary: Tim is suspicious of Tony's behavior and is determined to find out what he is up to.
1. Chapter 1

**Under Suspicion**

**Part I**

The elevator doors slid open and Tim hurried out onto the squad room floor. In his rush for progress he just narrowly missed slamming into Agent Henderson, a enormous tree trunk of a man, as the other agent turned out of the pod of desks nearest the elevator. A last minute weave saved Tim from what would have been a rather unpleasant impact. However, his diversionary move caused him to nearly lose his grip on the armfuls of stuff he was carrying; a laptop, four books to return to Abby, a thick folder of printed out research he had done on some new computer technologies, and a small potted plant that Palmer had asked him to look after while his place was being fumigated. Not to mention that his backpack had slipped down from where it had been slung over one shoulder. He had no free hand to fix it with so the pack hung heavily from the area of his elbow.

"Almost there!" he whispered to himself as he rounded the corner into the team's pod of desks. If he had to continue to try balancing everything in his arms too much longer it was going to end up all over the floor.

"And how is this fine day finding you Tim?" Tony asked brightly as the junior agent breezed by his desk. Tim responded while still in motion in the direction of his own workstation.

"Not good. My toilet overflowed right as I was about to head out the door. Then when I finally got that under control and got out of there I ended up stuck in traffic because people were rubbernecking at an accident. After all that I decided I really needed some coffee for sure, but when I went to see if I had any cash I discovered that I forgot my wallet. Now I'm late and have no coffee. So really not a very good start."

"I'm very sorry to hear that. Is there anything that I can do?" Tony inquired.

"Not that I can think of but thanks for asking. I just need to catch up here a little."

Tim scrambled to set down the collection of items he was carrying onto the desk and then turned on his computers to get them up and running before the boss showed up. It was not until he was forced to stop and wait for the log in screen on his monitor to appear that Tim stopped moving long enough for the realization to click into place inside his mind about what had just occurred. Something was off. _Had DiNozzo just been nice to him?_ He twisted his body slowly to the left, an apprehensive stiffness to his posture, and looked over to where Tony sat at his desk.

The senior agent was typing diligently away on his keyboard. Every so often he would consult his notes by glancing down at the folder that lay open beside his mouse pad. Then his gaze would return promptly to the monitor.

Something was missing. There was no smirked expression. No mischievous glint in the agent's eyes. Normally when Tim arrived late and with a long list of annoying reasons why Tony gave him a seriously hard time. But today Tony was conscientiously working away at his reports.

Which was another thing! Usually by this time of the morning there was at least one computer or cell phone game underway. Tim leaned back slightly in his chair and strained to see the names of the programs on Tony's computer taskbar. Perhaps he had minimized the game. But the only items open were work related ones. This prompted Tim to abruptly straighten up in his seat and do a frantic visual search around the squad room. Was Gibbs lurking somewhere, watching them? That would certainly explain DiNozzo's bizarre behavior. But as far as it was possible to tell the team leader did not appear to be observing them from afar.

"Tony?" he asked and shifted his gaze back to his colleague's desk.

"Yes Tim!" the senior agent responded without looking away from his apparently very captivating work.

"Are you feeling alright?" Tim questioned which caused Tony to swivel in his chair and face him.

"Actually I'm doing well. I got a run in early this morning. Felt so good afterward that I decided to come in and do a little paperwork," the senior agent stated pleasantly.

"When did…you ge…get here?" Tim stuttered out, a slight nervousness fragmenting the question. This was so odd that it was making him antsy.

"About two hours ago," Tony replied casually after a quick glance at his watch. Tim did the math inside his head and realized that meant the senior field agent had arrived just after six in the morning.

"You're _sure_ you're feeling okay?" he inquired again. This time with a heightened tension to his tone.

"Quite well I assure you. Are you sure you're feeling alright Tim? You seem a little anxious."

"Anxious? I…." Tim started to answer, but halfway through he decided perhaps he should answer carefully since Tony loved to latch on to any opportunity to torment.

"No. I'm not anxious at all. Just…checking."

"You're a good team player Tim! I'll be sure to remind the boss of that before your next performance review."

"You will?" Tim tossed out. His voice riddled with confusion and disbelief.

This conversation was just way too…._civilized_. Something was seriously wrong.

"Of course I will. Credit where credit is due!" Tony responded and swiveled back to his work.

Tim sat frozen at his own desk and reviewed the situation in his head.

Tony had greeted him warmly and inquired how he was doing. The tone had been genuinely interested and was devoid of any hint of mischief or sarcasm. And Tony had empathized? Next Tony was working and not even on anything of urgency. When Tim had taken a peek at Tony's screen he had recognized the case as one so ancient it was practically glacially thick and frigidly cold at this point.

Also it needed to be noted that Tony had been working, well, on actual work and as far as Tim could tell Gibbs was nowhere in sight. There were no computer games, messaging, or internet surfing underway on the senior agent's computer.

It was like some weird alternate universe where DiNozzo was ….._normal_?

"I'll be back in a little while!" Tony called back over his shoulder as he got up from his desk and headed for the elevator. Tim watched him depart and then looked around the empty pod for a moment, thoroughly dazed. His gaze fell on Tony's desk. He couldn't resist the temptation to check things out. DiNozzo had to be playing some kind of prank on him. So Tim slipped out of his own chair and into his teammate's. Maybe he could figure out just what Tony had planned before he returned.

It was then that he noticed something else odd. Tim swiveled slowly around in the chair, surveying Tony's cubicle as he passed by during his three sixty turn. He arrived back facing the computer monitor even more confused than when he had set out.

Tony's cubicle was organized, squeaky clean, and _completely toy free_. In particular, the resident American Pie coffee mug and Mighty Mouse stapler were absent. Tim reached down and slowly pulled open Tony's bottom desk drawer, almost leery of what he might be exposed to by daring to look inside. A pile of magazines was there as there always was, but the one on top did not have what he expected to see on the cover. Instead of "big guns" there was, _well_, big guns - Remington and Ruger rifles to be exact according the bold print across the cover. Tim bent down and scooped up the entire stack. He sifted through them glancing at each one and even checking the inside of a few at random. Every single magazine was law enforcement related ranging from Guns & Weapons For Law Enforcement to Law Enforcement Technology to Police Chief to the Journal Of Forensic Psychology. The last one actually had a mailing label addressing it to Ducky but its cover was adorned with a post it note that read _Anthony, here's our latest issue. Enjoy!_

Tim dropped the magazines back in and slammed the drawer closed on them as if they had been on fire. He then opened and searched all the other drawers, finding nothing more than files and office supplies. It was like the desk belonged to someone else. Tony always had childish things tucked away in his desk. After he had checked the final drawer he then did another slow turn around in the chair, scrutinizing the cubicle from every angle. On this pass he noted the a few other odd things such as a neatly written To Do List and a reminder note about volunteer shifts at a community center.

Tim couldn't help but try to process this all by speaking out aloud to himself.

"Oh god! Tony's quitting or transferring or lost his mind or going postal…maybe he's…dying! Or maybe I'm dying and he somehow found out before me and he's being nice to me because of it and it's affected him so much he changed his ways. Maybe some sort of denial or something. Oh! Oh boy! This is so not good!"

The rant was so out of control it literally propelled Tim out of the chair. He ended up nearly tripping over his own feet, torn as to where he needed to go and how to handle this all. Managing finally to curb his own forward momentum he stopped dead in the center of the team's pod of desks. He frantically turned in a circle, visually searching for something although he was not sure what. An answer? Some clue as to what the hell was going on?

Then is struck him.

"Abby! Abby will know!" he exclaimed and raced out of the squad room. He took the stairs, nearly leaving skid marks on them in his wake.

"Abby! You have to help me!" he cried out to her as soon as his feet crossed over the threshold into her lab.

"McGee! What's wrong? How can I help? Whoa! _Brakes McGee_!" she tossed out in rapid fire as Tim slid to a stop mere inches from her body.

"Near collision McGee!"

"Sorry Abby! I need you to help me figure out what Tony is up to."

"What do you mean what he is up to?"

"He is acting super strange!"

"Strange? Like how strange? That didn't come out right. I mean in what way strange not to what extent strange. Because there's a difference ya know!"

"Abby he's listening and responding politely. He's working without childish commentary on an old case and Gibbs isn't even around. His desk doesn't have a single inappropriate object in it. Abby, he's been here since six am! Something is wrong. He has to be up to something!"

"I don't understand. Tony is always a good listener. As far as his manners go I would give him a solid eight on a scale of one to ten. And why would there be inappropriate things in his desk?"

"Tony? _Our Tony?_"

"Are you feeling alright, Tim?"

"I'm fine. It's Tony who isn't right!"

"I don't know what to tell you McGee. He was down here twice already this morning and he seemed perfectly normal to me."

"Think Abby! He went out for a few minutes so I have to figure this out before he comes back so I cut him off at the pass."

"I'm sorry but I can't think of anything. I wish I could be more help. You look downright desperate. Does someone need a hug?" Abby offered and opened her arms in ready to provide a bear sized embrace.

"No Abby. I don't need a hug. I need that super incredible brain of yours to help me figure this out. Please Abby! This is my chance to catch DiNozzo red handed pranking me."

"Well you did say the magic word…."

"And I'll say it again. _Please_ Abby!"

"And you were really sweet to think of my super fantastic brain."

"Super _incredible_ brain," McGee repeated adding a sweet smile at the end.

"You got me! Let's put our heads together."

Tim shared with Abby all the evidence he had observed regarding Tony's behavior and the state of his desk and anything else that he could think of that might hold the key to unlocking this mystery. The duo even created a little logic program on the computer to see if that would help. But after just a short while they were completely out of ideas and the only viable theory that they had both agreed upon which explained Tony's super diligent behavior was that perhaps the Director was pressuring him. But even that they decided was slim at best. As they wound down their brainstorming Tim got the distinct feeling that Abby did not really find Tony's behavior all that out of the ordinary or unnerving. He thanked her profusely anyway for trying to help even if she seemed to just be humoring him.

"I really appreciate your trying to help!" he told her for the fifth time.

"Not a problem McGee. I promise next time Tony comes down here I'll make sure he checks out as one hundred percent normal A-okay."

"That would be great! Report back ASAP, okay? Promise?"

"Cross my heart! And next time you come down I'll be frisking you for Caf Pows and I better find at least one, Mister!"

"Deal!" Tim replied and departed the lab.

On his way back to the bull pen the answer occurred to Tim. It hit him like a ton of bricks falling out of the sky and landing on his head and it halted him in mid stride. _Abby was in on it!_ Whatever DiNozzo was up to he had charmed Abby's help out of her. That bastard! That set him back in motion on his return trip to the squad room.

As Tim made his way back to his desk from the elevator he noticed Tony had returned and was back at work. Tim eyed him warily as he passed by and then settled in at his own desk. As he turned to face his computer monitor he was stopped halfway by what he noticed was now sitting in the center of his desk; a large coffee cup and a paper bag. Tim reacted to their presence there as if they might be wired to explode. He scooted his chair back a few feet from the desk and gave them a suspicious sideways stare.

"Tony did you leave these here?" he asked nervously. The senior field agent glanced over, making eye contact, and then looked back to his work as he responded verbally.

"Yes. I went for coffee at the café. You said you needed some so I got your usual. I also got one of those bagel breakfast sandwich thingies you seem to enjoy. They were out of your usual bagel favorite so I got plain. Hope that's alright?"

Either one of them really was dying or this was a prank! DiNozzo must have done something to the coffee or the food. Keeping Tony within his left peripheral vision so that he could watch for any sign of a smirk or another tell McGee hesitantly rolled his chair a bit closer and reached for the coffee cup. He lifted it up off the surface of the desk practically in slow motion. Worried that maybe the bottom of the cup had been sabotaged to fall out which would result in coffee everywhere especially all over him. It would not be the first time.

When the action resulted in nothing of a disastrous nature he decided he better inspect the lid to make sure that it was not faulty in any way that might cause a similar result as what would have occurred had his first suspicion panned out. Basically coffee everywhere that was. He pulled the lid off which was tougher than he suspected it might be since a loose lid tactic would have been very juvenile and, therefore, very Tony. He turned the plastic cover around in his fingertips searching its surface for defects. He found none. Next he peered skeptically into the coffee itself. The liquid appeared to be the proper color and consistency. And it smelled great! At this point he really wanted to drink it but his intellect was screaming at him not to do it. This time he was on to Tony. He paused for a moment, subtly watching his teammate with his peripheral vision, and waiting for any body language characteristic or facial expression detail that would alert him that he had hit upon where the prank was hidden.

"I apologize if I didn't get the coffee quite right!" Tony's voice cut into his thoughts. Tim nearly jumped out of his chair as his teammate's voice disturbed the quiet of their pod. The coffee sloshed in the cup but miraculously all of it stayed below the rim. Tim put the lid back on, set it on the desk, and finally replied.

"I'll pay you back tomorrow!" he offered. He had been so caught off guard by Tony suddenly speaking it was the only thing that had come to his mind to say. He turned and looked over at Tony and the senior agent gave a shake of his head.

"Don't worry about it! Sounds like you had a rough morning. It's on me!" Tony commented and returned to his reports. Tim squinted at him, scrunching up his forehead and nose in utter confusion. _Who the hell are you? And what have you done with Tony DiNozzo? _Finally after a long deer in the headlight moment he turned back to face forward and almost jumped out of his seat again. Gibbs was looming on the other side of the desk and he was reaching for Tim's coffee. That happened occasionally when Gibbs ran out and was desperate for a little fix until he could get a refill. He would utilize the team's coffees, taking a little off the top of each of theirs.

"Boss! Tony gave me that you might want to…" Tim cried out and snatched the coffee off the desk before Gibbs' hand made it there.

"I might want to what McGee?" the team leader growled.

"Have it tested thoroughly before drinking it...er…Boss," he suggested and braced for the backlash.

"Why would I need to do that?" Gibbs asked all grumpiness and no patience.

"Well, you know because Tony gave it to me and he likes to humiliate me by having me spill stuff on myself or end up with a green tongue or something like that," he stated meekly. Every potential outcome of this encounter was an unpleasant one.

"DiNozzo would never do that, would you?" Gibbs responded, turning to his senior field agent and awaiting the reply.

"Seems like that would be rather unprofessional behavior, Boss," Tony stated calmly.

"Yes it would DiNozzo. And if you did do something like that what would I do to you?"

"Slap me in the back of the head." To this Tim had to jump in and say something.

"But Boss you slap him in the back of the head all the time."

"Excuse me? I have never slapped anyone on my team. Yet! But you might be the first McGee if you don't give me that coffee cup!"

"But Boss…"

"Now! McGee!" Gibbs snapped out in that tone that told you if you said one more word he might remove your voice box for you free of charge.

Tim stuck the hand holding the cup of coffee out in front of him at arm's length and winced when the team lead ripped it from his grasp. Horrified he watched as Gibbs removed the lid of Tim's coffee and then from his own empty cup then poured some of it between the two.

Tim cringed as he watched his boss take a long swig from the coffee. If something was wrong with the beverage this was going to end very badly for Tim.

"Not as good as a straight black but it'll do!" the team lead commented, replaced the lids on both coffees, and held Tim's cup out for him to take back.

"It's not going to bite McGee," Gibbs stated calmly when Tim didn't reach for it.

"Right. Of course Boss!" he managed and took the cup from the other man. Gibbs went to his desk and picked up the telephone to make a call. Tim watched him as he talked on the phone and sipped the coffee. After he had hung up the older agent downed the remainder of the beverage and tossed the empty cup into his trash can before digging into work on some files. Tim glanced longingly at the coffee in his hand and then back up to his boss. Nothing had happened to him after drinking the coffee so maybe it was okay. Maybe it had not been the coffee after all. Maybe it was the sandwich!

Tim took a drink from the coffee and savored it for a moment before turning his attention to the paper bag sitting on his desk. He opened it and peered inside. It wasn't booby trapped as far as he could tell so he reached in and pulled out the sandwich which was wrapped in aluminum foil.

It was then that an idea occurred to him. If DiNozzo's prank was the sandwich then it would explain why Tony had not jumped in and found some way to keep Gibbs from drinking the coffee. But he would have to intercede if it was the sandwich.

"Hey boss! Are you hungry? You are welcomed to half my breakfast sandwich!" Tim called over, making sure his voice was loud and clear enough that Tony had no way not to hear and understand it completely. But Tony did not react immediately. Tim watched him in his peripheral vision and his teammate was still fixated on his computer monitor. Their team leader reacted though. With a throwing gesture of the hand Gibbs accepted and indicated for Tim to toss it on over to him. Slowly McGee went about unwrapping the sandwich, separating the two halves, placing one on a napkin on top of his desk, and then securely wrapping the other back in the aluminum foil. He had hoped this elongated process would have been the window in which Tony would have jumped in to find some way to stop Gibbs from eating the sandwich.

"Toss it over McGee!" Gibbs instructed, his patience waning, and Tim was left with only one option. He tossed the package into the air in the direction of the opposite desk. Gibbs snatched it out of mid air with ease and Tony didn't so much as clear his throat.

Tim sat back in his seat. He was thoroughly confused. _If it hadn't been the coffee or the sandwich what was it? _He looked over to his boss and watched as the man tore open and devoured the meal. And nothing happened.

"Were you planning on working today McGee?" Gibbs grumbled in his direction.

"Yes Boss! Of course Boss!" Tim instantly replied. He straightened up in his seat and turned to face his computer monitor. Simply clicking on the first program on his desktop Tim pretended to work, a few mouse clicks here and few taps on the keyboard there was enough to uphold appearances. He sipped on the coffee hoping the caffeine would help him figure this out. He was determined that he was going to catch Tony red handed in whatever this was he had plotted. It was going to be fantastic!

A long stretch of time passed in this manner. The pod remained silent spare the sounds of mouse clicking and keyboard tapping. McGee lost track of how long exactly because he got caught in the endless maze of his mind as it worked to devise a plan to unhinge Tony's plot.

"Hey boss!" Tony's voice rang out across the group of desks in the pod. Tim glanced over at the senior field agent. He was sitting up nice and straight in his seat, feet planted squarely on the floor, hands neatly clasped in front of him on the desk, and a pleasant looking expression on his face.

"Yeah DiNozzo! What?"

"Okay if I take an early lunch?"

"I'll go with you. I need real coffee," Gibbs responded and stood up. Tony did the same, closing out of his computer, and tucking his work folder back into its place in a drawer.

"Ready?" Gibbs asked moving to the aisle.

"All set!" the senior agent replied and took just a second to make sure his very expensive and very wrinkle free suit was buttoned in front.

"Tim can we bring you anything? Or would you perhaps like to come with us?" Tony asked.

"Oh…umm….no…thanks!" Tim sputtered out surprised. Usually all he got was threats, taunts, and teasing before Tony went to lunch.

"Alright, well, you change your mind you have my cell number!" Tony tossed back as he and Gibbs headed for the elevator.

"Hey wait!" he called after them. Both men about faced and looked across to him.

"Where's Ziva? Shouldn't she be here by now?"

"Don't you remember she has that appointment with personnel this morning about updating her paperwork because of her change in citizenship? Very proud day don't you agree?" Tony reminded him.

"Oh right! I do remember her saying something about that!" he replied. He felt a bit foolish. Ziva had mentioned it and he had totally forgotten. The two more senior agents disappeared into the elevator after only a brief wait in front of it. With their departure Tim let out a big exhale and allowed himself to slouch down into the chair. He decided that maybe if he relaxed, cleared his mind, and then refocused he could figure this out. Leaning his head back so it rested on the top of the chair he closed his heavy eyelids and breathed. It seemed to be working. All the static in his mind was fading away and being replaced with something deeper._ This might work!_

"How could you do that? That was mean! Fix it right now!" a voice demanded out of nowhere. _Where did they come from? Didn't hear anyone walk up to the desk? Were they talking to him?_

"That was a very insensitive thing to do! Fix it! Then apologize!" the voice continued as he opened his eyes to investigate. He discovered his eyelids were rather hefty and he only managed to pry them open about halfway. And all the rest of his body wanted to do was let out a big yawn. The halfway open eyes were enough to determine that it was Abby who had been speaking, but she wasn't speaking to him. She stood in the center of their pod and her attention was focused off to his left. Since she was not talking to him Tim decided to go ahead with that yawn and to follow it up with a big stretch. He must have fallen asleep at his desk. That would explain why he had not known Abby had arrived. His groggy mind suddenly clicked into gear and he realized there must be someone else there if Abby was not speaking to him. He shifted in his seat and cleared his throat.

"See what you did now! You woke him up!" Abby stated angrily to the person off to his left. Still fighting grogginess Tim lethargically rolled his head against the back of the chair and looked to his left. Tony was seated there and suddenly Tim was a lot more awake. Tony was not just back from lunch he was …_back_. DiNozzo, dressed in faded jeans and a rather wrinkly and disheveled shirt, was reclined as far back in his seat as the chair would allow with his boot clad feet propped up on his desk. Instead of looking at Abby who was speaking to him he was looking downward and flipping through what appeared to be an issue of GSM magazine.

_Wait! Tony had been wearing a suit not a minute ago and now he was dressed like a frat boy who had just rolled out bed at the crack of noon._

_Oh no! He had actually fallen asleep._

Tim's gaze darted from Tony to the state of his desk. The Might Mouse stapler had returned and the desk was by no means neat and tidy. Papers, food wrappers, and other items were strewn across the top of it. Next he checked the computer screen. Internet Explorer was open with the You Tube home page displayed on the screen currently.

Tim blew out a breath.

_It all made sense now. It had been dream._

"It's about time! We don't pay him to fall asleep and drool all over his shirt collar! Time to wake up McSnores!" Tony threw over in Tim's direction.

"Maybe not but that doesn't excuse what you did to him!" Abby retorted sternly.

"What? What did he do to me? Did he do something to me while I was sleeping?" Tim cried out and shot up out of his seat and spun around as if that would help him figure out what she was talking about. _What had Tony done? _

It was the rustling noise that seemed to arrive every time Tim moved and then ceased every time he stopped that caught his attention. He spun a little and the rustle sound came and then he stopped and it stopped with him.

He was still a bit groggy but he was awake just barely enough to notice that he had an audience. People passing by in the aisle stared at him as they walked by the team's area. Then the stare would turn into amusement and was almost always followed with a chuckle.

Finally it occurred to Tim to look down and it was then that he discovered the source of his rustling and the stares. He had been post it noted while he slept. His entire front from head to toe was covered with a variety of differently sized and colored post it notes. He looked like some kind of living bulletin board. There had to be fifty or sixty of the sticky notes plastered to his body. Noticing some of them had writing on them he grabbed on of these from his shirt sleeve. It read _I'm a Snow Elf and proud of it_. He tossed that one of aside and snatched up another with writing from his right leg. This one read _2010 Winner of World's Biggest Dork Award._

He tossed that one aside too. It floated to the floor while Tim repeated this sequence of note grabbing, reading, and discarding several more times. All the while his face shifting up along a spectrum of hues beginning with his normal pale white until it was a fire engine red.

Tony's snickering finally stopped him from going for another note. Fuming he glared over at DiNozzo who only reacted with a pointed finger towards the top of Tim's head and a very hearty entertained laugh.

Tim reached a hand up to the top of his head, absolutely dreading what he might find there. He grasped the item and removed it. Bringing it down to inspect he saw it was a pirate hat constructed out of newspaper - the Sunday funnies page to be exact.

"DiNozzo! I am going to kill you!" he declared while crushing the pirate hat into a tiny compacted wad of paper inside his fist. But Tony only reacted by letting out an amused doubting chuckle and flipping to the next page in his magazine.

"Do you hear me? You are a dead man!" Tim continued and started to lunge for the senior field agent.

"Tim! No Tim! Stop!" Abby cried out and threw herself between the two of them.

"What Abby?" McGee snapped irritatedly.

"Let's just calm down a minute. Breathe. Cleanse your system of negativity."

"None of that will save DiNozzo from what I am going to do to him!"

"Do it for me. Please Tim!"

"Abby! He covered me in post it notes and put a silly hat on my head while I was asleep. And the whole office saw me."

"Stop exaggerating McPostItNote! It wasn't the whole office. Maybe ninety five percent tops!" Tony interjected. To this Tim attempted to fake Abby out by making it appear he was going to weave left when he really went for a zag right. But Abby had his number and blocked his path.

"Tim! Tim! No! Just listen. I came up here to give you something," she told him in a gentle voice in hopes of distracting him from his infuriation and murderous intentions.

"Alright fine he can live for another few seconds."

"That's very generous of you McGee."

"No. Generous is what the payback is going to be."

"Give it your best shot McLame!" Tony challenged him.

"Shut up Tony!"

"McGee!"

"_What Abby_?" Tim finally spat out, agitation thick in his voice. All he wanted to do at that moment was wrap his hands around DiNozzo's throat and throttle him. Tony was only increasing his aggravation by his continual sounds of amusement and a series of facial expression displaying the pride he had in his own childish handy work.

"Well I happen to know that today is a certain NCIS Special Agent's anniversary!" Abby announced and then ambushed him with a huge hug. At first he was stiff in her embrace but he could feel her genuine happiness for him and it melted away some of the anger.

"You remembered?" he commented.

"Of course McGee! It's not every day you become a full fledged field agent. And…." she stated before holding up an index finger to indicate he should give her one moment. She scurried around to the next pod of desks and to the one that had been long empty. She picked something up there and scurried back with it in hand.

"I know how much you like these so I thought it would be fun instead of a cake!" she explained and opened the box to reveal a collection of cupcakes. The one in the center had a candle stuck in it.

"Abby that was really nice of you! I'm sorry I snapped at you," he offered her softly.

"You should thank Tony too. When I suggested getting these he offered to pick them up for me."

"He did? _Did he?_" McGee asked his voice thick with suspicion.

"Absolutely. He insisted in fact."

"I bet he did!"

"Well the bakery was closer to his place than mine so it was thoughtful of him to offer."

"Yes _thoughtful_. That's exactly the word I was thinking of!" Tim responded all the while giving a sideways glare in Tony's direction.

"Your sarcastic tone hurts me Probie!" Tony snapped and faked a sad sniffle while swiping at a non existent tear.

"Give it up! What did you do to the cupcakes DiNozzo?"

"Not a thing!"

"You lie like a rug!" Tim growled out.

"Who's a rug?" Ziva's voice asked. Tony, Abby, and McGee all looked over to her as she dropped her bag behind her desk.

"Nobody. It means Tony is a big fat liar."

"Oh I see. This I already knew. Dare I ask McGee why it looks like you were attacked by a very vengeful army of note taking supplies?" she inquired as her gaze panned up and down over his post it noted body.

"That would be the big fat lair we were just discussing," Tim replied and went back to glaring at the senior field agent.

"We really need to get you laid McGee. Loosen up. It…was… f_un-ny_," Tony stated with a shake of the head.

"Stop changing the subject DiNozzo. What did you do to the cupcakes?"

"He did something to the cupcakes?" Ziva asked coming over and peering inside the box that Abby still held in her hand.

"I did nothing to the cupcakes!" Tony declared and got to his feet.

"Yeah right?" Tim shot back at him as Tony marched over to him.

"What are you chicken McGee? Grow a set and have a cupcake."

"If you're so ballsy how about you go first? Go ahead I dare you."

"I think I just might!" Tony responded. Abby turned the box so it was opened in his direction. Tony was about to pick up the one in the far corner when McGee spoke up again.

"The one with the candle!" he instructed.

"If you insist McCrankyPants! Somebody needed a longer nap!" Tony announced and picked up the center cupcake. Ceremoniously he plucked out the candle and tossed it aside. Then he gave it a sniff and made a pleased sound at how it smelled. After that he made a show of taking an elongated swipe with his tongue over the white frosting on the top.

"Oh ho ho ho! Wow! So good!" he murmured into the cupcake as he continued to lick it from all conceivable angles. That quickly led into him sticking his tongue into the chocolate and proceeding to suck some of the middle out into his mouth.

"Stop stalling! Just eat the cupcake DiNozzo!"

Tony's reply was to finish off the chocolaty goodness in two more big bites. His hands now free he swiped them across one another to rid them of any crumbs while he finished chewing. Then added in an exaggerated swipe of his shirt sleeve across him mouth. After having taken care of all of that he crossed his arms over his chest and grinned over at Tim.

"Mmmm yummie! Finger lickin' good!" he commented.

"Why can't you be normal like the Tony in my dream?"

"Your dream?" Tony inquired with eyebrows raised in curiosity.

"Yeah the one I just woke up from to find myself dressed in post it notes and wearing a pirate hat made out the funny pages. That Tony was actually mature."

"Dreaming about me? I guess I can see where your desire to be like me would be so intense it would spill over into your sleep. I mean I am fantastic after all! Ah! The understandable yet futile dreams of the nerdy!"

"Grow up!" McGee snapped back at him.

"I don't wanna and you can't make me McGee!" Tony responded plopping back down at his desk and taking a sip of coffee from his American Pie mug to wash down his dessert.

"I hate you!" Tim snarled out.

"Have a cupcake McGee. It'll make you feel better!" Abby suggested.

"Thank you Abby!" he replied, turned his back on Tony, and picked out a cupcake from the box.

"See Tony some people are nice!" Tim continued turning back towards Tony who now sat at his desk entertaining himself by tossing his cell phone up in the air and catching it and then tossing it up again higher. Tim gave him a _So there!_ expression and took a generous bite out of his cupcake. It was the faint popping sounds that grabbed his attention. Unfortunately it was already too late. A burst of liquid shot out from the cupcake spraying him smack in the face. His eyes shot closed in reaction even though they had already taken the hit. He could feel the liquid as it ran down along his cheeks and dripped off his chin.

Tim wiped his fingertips across his eyes, clearing away some of the moisture there and cracked his eyelids back open once again. He looked at the cupcake in his hand and watched as hot pink colored liquid trailed down his hand and onto the cuff of his left sleeve. Then he slowly lowered his gaze to the front of his shirt and discovered that the bright colored liquid was splattered from his shirt collar on down to the bottom button on his shirt.

Fury boiling up towards the surface in him Tim shifted his gaze from his ruined shirt to Tony. The senior field agent had ceased his game of catch with his phone and was now doubled over with laughter. Finally able to get a breath in amidst his amusement he straightened up and responded to the glare from Tim.

"Game. Set. Match. To DiNozzo!" Tony announced then cupped his hands around his mouth to let out a sound mimicking the cheering of fans packed into to a stadium.

"I-am-going-to-kill-you!" Tim stated matter of factly. Then in the next breath the cupcake was on the floor and Tim was leaned over a still seated Tony with his hands wrapped around his teammate's neck.

"No…sen…sense…of….humor!" Tony managed to get out despite being throttled.

"A little…hee…help…here!" he added while trying to pry Tim's fingertips from his neck.

"Perhaps we should. For McGee's sake, yes?" Ziva commented to Abby.

"You may have a point. Plus there's the whole homicide cover up. Really time consuming. And I have plans tonight."

Abby and Ziva approached the scene. Abby wrapped her arms around Tim's waist and started to pull backwards in an attempt to drag Tim from his homicidal intentions. Ziva took up position on the other side of Tim and started to work at prying his hands from their vice grip around Tony's neck. At this point Tony's tongue was sticking out and the scene was reminiscent of Homer Simpson throttling Bart.

It was in this jumbled up mess of bodies and limbs, pulling, prying and throttling that they were discovered.

"Go home McGee!" Gibbs commanded as he rounded the corner into the team's pod of desks. It was like the team lead's voice flipped a switch in his agents. McGee released Tony's throat. Tony sat up straighter at attention at his desk, still rubbing at his neck though. And Ziva and Abby released Tim and stepped back.

There was a moment of silence while everyone regained their composition more thoroughly. Then taking in a deep breath Tim responded verbally as if nothing had happened.

"Boss?"

"_Go_…._home_."

"To change?"

"Don't care what you do once you get there."

"You want me to go home and not come back?"

"Very good McGee."

"I know there's no major case right now but why are you sending me home, Boss?"

"Think McGee!"

"Well, it's my anniversary."

"Again?"

"I was here really late last night doing maintenance and updates on our computers. Barely got any sleep."

"Except for the drool fest earlier," Tony commented to Ziva.

"That'd be why," the team lead stated like it had been the most obvious thing in the world. His voice was followed by his most senior agent's.

"Why does it not surprise me that the Boss offers McGee a half day off and he sits around and asks questions? Only McGee would even still be in the building at this point," Tony commented.

"You do have a home, right, McGee?" Gibbs griped when McGee did not seem to be taking a while lot of action towards departure.

"I do Boss. Leaving!"

"Well I guess I'll see you guys tomorrow!" Tim offered in the direction of his teammates.

"Uhhh…that would be a _Hell No!_" Tony exclaimed loudly.

"Nor I!" Ziva added.

"You guys taking vacations days?"

"No. It's this little thing we like to call Saturday, McGee," Tony explained.

"Oh right. Of course! Been kind of a weird day. Forgot."

"Happy Anniversary McGee!" Ziva offered him.

"Thank you Ziva!"

"Yeah what she said Probie!"

"I guess I'll see you guys in a few days then."

"I guess so!" Tony replied.

"Bye McGee!" Ziva called after him as he headed of towards the elevator.

**_To Be Continued..._**


	2. Chapter 2

**Under Suspicion**

**Part II**

A half hour after Tim had left Tony made his way back from the elevator carrying the two bags he had retrieved from their hiding place in a supply closet. He deposited the larger of the two bags at his desk and then opened the second and dug around inside for a moment. Finding the particular item he sought he pulled it out and then turned to face across the rows of desks at the elevator end of the squad room and visually scanned the faces coming and going. Spotting his target walking along one of the aisles he gained the man's attention with the shout out across the distance.

"Hey Henderson!"

"Yeah DiNozzo!" the other agent responded, stopping and turning his attention across the row of desks that separated them.

"Catch!" Tony instructing and heaved the item he had just pulled from the bag up and out into the air. Henderson caught it much in the manner one would catch a football pass. He noted the identity of the item then continued on down the aisle while responding.

"Oh hey thanks for returning it so quickly!" the agent replied and sat down in his seat while flipping through the item, the latest issue of his Guns & Weapons For Law Enforcement subscription that Tony had returned to him. Tony was relieved the man did not notice that he had peeled the address label off the cover. Henderson had a tendency to be a tad nit picky. But then again Henderson owed Tony for his silence regarding a rather embarrassing incident that had occurred a week prior.

Returning his attention to the bag he pulled something else out and then stepped over to the divider between their pod of desks and the next one over.

"And for the lovely Agent Haley!" Tony stated in a charming voice as he held out the item for her. The attractive female agent snatched it from his fingertips.

"You're lucky this was back when promised otherwise my fee would have been doubled."

"Doubling? We wouldn't want that now, would we?" Tony replied with a smirk. She briefly inspected the copy of Law Enforcement Technology for serious damage. Finding none right away she tossed the magazine into her desk and went back to work. Tony had discovered almost immediately upon meeting the young agent that she was a bit of addict for making monetary deals.

"Nice doing business with you then!" Tony commented when Agent Haley seemed oblivious to his continued presence leaned over the wall beside her cubicle. He had paid her a hefty fee for the loan on the magazine and he hadn't even gotten any chit chat out of it.

Tony peered back inside the bag and noted the next item. The cover of the Journal Of Forensic Psychology he had surreptitiously borrowed from Ducky's desk would need to be returned in the same manner in which he had obtained. He reached in and pulled off the post in note that read _Anthony, here's our latest issue. Enjoy! _His forgery of the doctor's handwriting had not been half bad if he said so himself. He crumbled it up, stashed it in his pocket, making a mental note that he would have to shred it along with the To Do List and the note about his non existent community center volunteer appointments.

Setting the first bag down on his desk he picked up the second. He unzipped the garment bag and double checked that all the pieces of the suit he had worn earlier that day were accounted for. He had made sure to use a suit that he had not worn in a very long time to add to the surreal effect of it all. There was no way McGee would remember it and Tony would make sure not to wear it again any time soon. Tony was impressed with himself. In the time McGee had snoozed he had managed to return his desk to its proper state, change his clothes, hide the evidence, and then decorate the junior agent.

He grinned, nearly from ear to ear. The look on McGee's face had been priceless. Even more priceless was the fact that as of yet the more junior agent had not figured out he had been skillfully duped.

McGee had thought his encounter with pleasant well mannered hard working Anthony DiNozzo had been just a dream. But it had not been. Instead it had been a carefully plotted out prank that Tony had saved just for Probie's anniversary which he was grateful that Abby had reminded him was coming up. As if on cue the forensics expert appeared at that moment racing in his direction out of the elevator.

"Tony! Tony! Tony!" she rambled out excitedly as she raced up to his desk.

"Ah! There's my partner in prank!"

"I heard Gibbs sent him home. So?"

"So what?"

"So dish! Does he suspect?"

"I must say I have outdone myself Abby. McGee walked out of here completely oblivious that he was double decker duped. I mean a prank to cover another prank. I am the master!"

"When he came down to see me he was completely freaked by his encounter with Pleasantville DiNozzo."

"I know he came back up here eyeing me like any minute an alien was going to burst out of my stomach, ya know, like the scene from Alien. It….was…_priceless_!"

"He is going to keel over when he figures it out. And he will eventually. You know that right?"

"Yeah I know. But man it is so sweet while it lasts. Thank you for your participation by the way."

"Hey! Let's get one thing straight Mister! I helped you because I needed paycheck for the theft of my Choc-aholic's Choice cupcake. McGee robbed me of that and never served a single day for his crime."

"The injustice of it!"

"I know huh?"

"Well today Abby Sciuto you got your justice!" Tony declared with a gavel style hit of the fist to his desk. Just then Gibbs appeared heading towards his desk.

"Oh hey Boss!"

"DiNozzo that stuff you masqueraded as coffee is disgusting," Gibbs informed him.

"You barely took a sip of it. Then you faked drinking and swallowing the rest. I was the one who dug the half full upside down mess of it out of your trash can so McGee wouldn't see it if he thought to check."

"Yeah but that one sip was a whopper. That crap tastes like well _crap_!"

"I know boss. Your credit line is all step up for your next fix…I mean cup…at the coffee shop. Enough credits paid for by yours truly to get you through the next week. Just a little something for helping out with McGee's anniversary surprise."

"Deal's a deal DiNozzo! You got me out of an entire afternoon of Ducky's storytelling and that Relating To The Public refresher training last week so now we're even."

"I just didn't think he would buy it without you in the mix."

"Ya think DiNozzo?" Gibbs shot back as he retrieved the folder he had come for out of the top drawer of his desk. Then he headed back towards the aisle.

"That was kind of obvious, wasn't it? Sorry boss!"

"Just remember that when he figures it out you're on your own!" Gibbs reminded him.

"Understood Boss!"

Gibbs tossed an acknowledging nod of the head back over his shoulder on the way to the elevator. Once he had stepped inside and the door closed on him Tony turned to Abby.

"You swear that the stuff in that coffee was harmless right and that one sip was not enough for the boss man to be affected? And McGee is good now too, right?"

"For the hundredth time, Tony, I am one hundred percent positive. I created it myself from all natural ingredients and have tested it personally. Nothing more than a little mild sleep assistant. And no way that one sip would be enough to affect Gibbs. When I tested it out I had to drink the whole thing. Resulting in nothing more than a little catnap."

"Just like McGee. Abs, I tell you I came so close to losing it when Gibbs wanted that coffee from him. I literally had to bite my tongue to keep composed and in character with my alter ego Pleasantville DiNozzo. See!" Tony commented and then stuck out his tongue as far as it would go.

"Ouch!" Abby reacted with when she was unable to avoid seeing the ugly red marks on Tony's tongue.

"Worth every one!" he mumbled because his tongue was still sticking out. When he was done trying to talk he finally returned his tongue to the inside of his mouth.

"He must have freaked."

"You have no idea! When he withheld that coffee from Gibbs I think the both of us saw McGee's little life flash before our eyes. It was classic!"

"I bet. I do have one question though."

'What's that Abby?"

"If McGee picked which cupcake you'd eat how did you avoid getting an exploding one?"

"Oh they were all explosive. Couldn't risk that he'd pick a dud."

"So how did you not end up covered in hot pink like McGee?"

"My very talented tongue."

"Your tongue?"

"Yep. You know how I sort of …well….I sort of…with it?" Tony inquired putting his hands up to his mouth as if he still held the cupcake there. He mocked the motions he had made while eating the treat.

"Molested the cupcake?" Abby offered.

"Molested is such an ugly word."

"Yet accurate."

"Okay I admit I did do a little sniffing and little licking. Some heavy petting at most. Anyway, in there somewhere I may have used my tongue to locate the gel capsules with the coloring in them. And I swallowed them whole so they wouldn't burst when I bit into the cupcake."

"_Nice!_"

"I know it was rather inspired if I do say so myself."

"And you definitely do! Any chance you get!"

"There's nothing wrong with a little self promotion Abby. So what's the plan?"

"Well I'll text McGee and tell him I have an anniversary present for him and invite him over."

"How do you know he'll agree to come over tonight?"

"Wouldn't you like to know?"

"I think maybe I changed my mind on that one. I retract the question."

"I'll tell him to come at eight. So you guys should all arrive at least a half hour before so we don't blow the surprise. But if you want you can come early."

"I gotta stop and get McGee's gift."

"You haven't got his present yet? Shame on you!"

"Well, Abs, I was a little busy thinking all this up. Not to mention all that stupid paperwork I actually had to do when McGee was here and I was pretending to be a good worker."

"What are you getting him?"

"I don't know yet."

"You could always go functional. That's very in for gifts right now. "

"Functional?"

"Yeah. Ya know get him something useful. Something he might need or use a lot," Abby explained.

"Maybe I should get him a plumber. Sounded like he needs one. He mentioned that he spent his morning mopping up after his toilet got revenge on him."

"A little off beat. But definitely functional."

"Yeah but then he would know his dream wasn't really a dream. And I'm not ready to play that card yet."

"He's going to figure it out sooner or later. I mean if he stops to think about it he'll realize that without his arrival here in the dream he just woke up here. He won't be able to remember his supposed real arrival. Because the supposed dream arrival was the one and only arrival. But then again he was here late last night so maybe he'll just think he never went home. Although he had different clothes on so not sure how that'll work."

"Abby, I hope what you just said made sense to you because you lost me back in the beginning of that little trip."

"I got your back Tony."

"Man, I sure hope it's later he figures it out because I got the whole thing on Candid Camera so to speak and I plan on burning thousands of backup copies before he sees it."

"You didn't?"

"I did. Little hidden camera on Ziva's desk. Perfect angle for the show."

"Anthony DiNozzo Jr.!"

"Come on! What's a little humiliation recorded for posterity between family members?"

"Okay, but only on one condition Mister!"

"Abby! You know I would do anything for you!"

"I get at least two of those thousand copies your burning."

"Deal!" Tony responded, extending his hand to her. She accepted it and they shook sealing the agreement.

"Done!" she confirmed. Then abruptly diverted her eyes to the floor and fidgeted.

"What?" Tony encouraged recognizing the tell tale sign that Abby had something else she wanted to add or quite possibly confess.

"I may have utilized some audio visual equipment myself. You know sometimes things get turned on by accident and record inadvertently. Amazing what you'll get sometimes. I mean really…"

"Abby?"

"Yeah."

"Did you record McGee in your lab?"

"I may have. You know accidentally of course!"

"Accidents happen. Sweet glorious accidents that we can watch over and over for our own bemused entertainment. _Score!_"

"Tony?"

"Yep."

"Was this too mean of us? Truth!" Abby inquired with a hint of guilt lacing her tone. Tony heard it and answered her with sincerity.

"Wouldn't do it if he wasn't tough enough to take it. He has come a long way."

"Excellent point!"

"Our little Timmy sure has had quite the day!"

"They grow up so fast, don't they?" Abby commented cheerfully.

"Yes they do. Then they get pranked!" Tony declared with a grin.

o&&0&&o&&0&&o&&0&&o&&0&&0o&&0&&o&&0&&o&&0&&o&&0&&0 

Tim had barely arrived back at his apartment and started undoing the buttons at the top of his thoroughly messed up shirt when his cell phone chirped at him. Abandoning the work of removing the shirt he retrieved the phone and read the text message he had received.

The message was from Abby who stated she had an anniversary gift for him. Her argument for coming over that evening to retrieve it was, to put it mildly, very persuasive. He sent a quick text back letting her know that he would definitely see her at eight o'clock as she had requested.

After putting down the phone on his desk Tim finished unbuttoning his shirt and shrugged out of it. Then holding it up he inspected the damage it had taken. The hot pink colored dye or food coloring or whatever the liquid was exactly was now the prominent color of the front of the garment that had, up until a few hours earlier, been completely white.

"You know what! I'm not cleaning this! No way. I'm going to go out and buy the most expensive replacement I can find and send DiNozzo a bill for it!" he declared, walking to his trash can and stuffing the shirt inside it.

He located a fresh shirt and put it on in place of the one which now resided in his trash. His irritation at Tony now refreshed by a second look at the state of his work shirt Tim found himself unable to stand still and wandered around the apartment.

Somewhere between his fourth and fifth pass from the living room into the bedroom he came to a conclusion. No prank should go without reciprication. Tony DiNozzo was going down for his little exploding cupcake gag. Tim did not yet know when or how or what but he was going to think of some way to pay the senior field agent back in spades.

Sir Isaac Newton had definitely been on to something. _To every action there is always an equal and opposite reaction._

Tony DiNozzo was going to get a reaction all right.

Then there was that other thing.

Tim pondered what had happened. He could not believe he had fallen asleep and gotten post it noted by Tony. Okay, well, the falling asleep part he supposed was due to working late on the computers, but still how had he let his guard down enough to take a nap long enough that it produced a rather involved dream.

It was funny though. He had been feeling something strange since he woke up from that dream. He could not completely fathom it but he felt relieved that it had been just a dream. Tim could not possibly count the number of times he had desperately wished that Tony would act more maturely and communicate more politely. In his dream that had been the exact way Tony had acted. And Tim found himself very surprised to realize he found this normal civilized version of Tony to be….well…really boring. _God help him if Tony ever knew that!_

He had thought all this time that if Tony behaved more maturely and professionally that work would be much less of a mine field every day. Not to mention it would be refreshingly pleasant, calm, and conducive to being productive.

Tim could hardly believe it but he didn't particularly care for this subdued prank-free Tony. _The guy was kind of a stuffed shirt._

He supposed that maybe it was the attention from the senior field agent, however immature and negative that attention was, that meant more than it first appeared on the surface level. Somehow the pranks, teasing, harassment, and general silliness indicated that Tony cared about him in a kid brother kind of way.

And, although it was difficult to admit, being a target of that attention made Tim feel accepted which was something that never really had come easy for him.

_God Tony really would have a field day if he could hear these thoughts._

Tim's mind drifted back to that day in the squad room years earlier. He had been about to return back to his regular position in Norfolk when Gibbs had literally halted his departure by stepping in front of him. Then the team leader had proceeded to inform him that there was good news and there was bad news to be received.

The good news had been that Tim had been promoted to full field agent.

The bad news, of course, had been that Tim, from that moment forward, belonged to quite possibly the grouchiest boss ever, Special Agent Leroy Jethro Gibbs.

The first marker of true acceptance had arrived a moment later when his teammates, Kate and Tony, had simultaneously delivered classic Gibbs style slaps to the back of his head.

Today was the anniversary of that off color yet fond memory. It drew a smile to Tim's face and then he realized something else.

_Sometimes the things we thought we wanted so badly are not really the things we actually long to have in our possession once they arrive._

_Sometimes it's what we already have that we cherish the most._

**The End**


End file.
